REVIEWS
Down Beat
“Fankhauser doesn’t sound the least bit like a visitor from Switzerland!”
In the L.A. and Nashville Studios Fankhauser doesn’t sound the least bit like a visitor from Switzerland that unrealistically fancies himself as a blues singer . He displays empathy for Johnny Copeland songs (Shemekia Copeland gives her blessings in the liners), and he dramatizes soul-blues originals without overextending his voice or wearing out his welcome with too strong a reverential tone.
Frank Hadley
Blues Revue
“Strong, subtle songs that resonate with quiet authority!”
Blues Revue USA, July 2009 Strong, subtle songs that resonate with quiet authority! The Blues speaks a universal language. Just ask Philipp Fankhauser, whose break came in 1994 when Johnny Copeland asked him to relocate to the States to handle lead vocals for his band. What should have been the European’s big break in the blues world slipped away when Copeland died in 1997. Three years later, Fankhauser packed his bags and hightailed it back to Switzerland. He’s remained active on the European blues scene, initially as leader of the Checkerboard Blues Band and then as a solo artist. Fankhauser is a roots-music headliner with Top 10 releases in his home continent, and Love Man Riding is his 11th album. This clean, confident, professionally constructed set focuses on Fankhauser’s salt-and-pepper soul vocals wrapped around tunes that are restrained but melodically rich. Veteran producer Dennis Walker not only manned the board but co-penned six selections here, and American bassist Richard Cousins (of Robert Cray’s band) complements the predominantly European backing band. Fankhauser’s love of Brazilian music shifts the fulcrum south of the border on his cover of the Seventies hit „Rio de Janeiro Blue“ and the Cray-styled „Lonely in This Town“. Thankfully, he keeps the blues bubbling on both cuts, and neither drastically alters the album’s course. Horns and female backing vocals spice the dynamics, making the lovely ballad „I’m Finished Here“ one of the disc’s best tracks. The album generally stays on low boil, but Fankhauser and Walker aren’t trying to blow anyone’s socks off. Rather, their collaboration highlights the singer’s dusky vocals, controlled phrasing, and strong, subtle songs that resonate with quiet authority. Blues Revue June/July 2009 Hal Horowitz
Down Beat
“Love Man Riding listed among the best cds of 2008 in Downbeat’s January 2009 issue!”
Fankhauser records outstanding albums in his home country Switzerland without being an outstanding singer himself. Within parameters, he works wonders with shadings and dynamics, and, as shown by seven selections on his 11th album, he has a gift for writing richly sonorous and sophisticated songs about secure, broken or quixotic relationships.
Fankhauser also plays superb guitar on „Lonely In This Town.“ He’s fortunate to have Dennis Walker, once an associate of Robert Cray, contributing choice material and producing. Walker makes sure ex-Cray bassist Richard Cousins and the other supporting musicians compact soul and blues in the service of the song, no matter the tempo or mood.
Frank Hadley
Blues Matters
“The song writing is of a very high standard. A melodic joy.”
This is the eleventh album release from the man hailed as “Switzerland’s answer to Van Morrison”. Although I would not go so far as to directly compare him with the great man I can definitely see where the comparison stems from. An accomplished vocalist who can move effortlessly from slow blues on ‘One Of Them’ and ‘The Sundown’, to soul on ‘You Caught Me Off Guard’ and ‘Are You Out Of Your Head’, piano bar style ballad (this is a compliment) on ‘I Didn’t See (The Best Of You)’ and even a touch of Latino rhythm on a fine cover of Richard Torrance’s ‘Rio De Janeiro Blue’. The song writing is of a very high standard. Philipp is the major contributor with producer Dennis Walker (Robert Cray, B.B. King, John Campbell) also making his mark. In fact the slow blues ‘I’m Finished Here’ which was co-written by Dennis and the excellent keyboard player Hendrix Ackle is to my mind an outstanding piece of work as is ‘I Got A Love’, written by one time mentor, the late Johnny “Clyde” Copeland. As you can probably imagine such an established artist is going to surround himself with quality musicians. This is apparent throughout the album with some excellent understated performances. A melodic joy.
Thomas Rankin
Blues & Rhytm
“A highly impressive CD from a guy way ahead of much of the competition!”
Swiss singer / guitarist / bandleader Philipp Fankhauser has received good reviews in B&R since his work with the Checkerboard Blues Band over a decade ago and with this American release he continues that trend. He spent several years working with Johnny Copeland in the States (Shemekia contributes a fond sleeve note here) and that experience shows on his soulful singing (‘Members Only’ is a stand-out), concise and effective guitar playing and carefully crafted blues, blues-ballad and soul/ blues writing and imaginative arrangements. Backing musicians include the likes of Dennis Walker and the Memphis Horns among many others. A highly impressive CD from a guy way ahead of much of the competition.
Norman Darwen
Blues Revue
“Talk To Me presents the polished work of a seasoned entertainer!”
Philipp Fankhauser’s artistic evolution makes for a great story: a German speaking Switzerland native grows up to love American blues, thanks in part to frequent appearances by Albert Collins, B.B. King, and John Lee Hooker at the Montreux Jazz Festival. That kind of story only takes you so far, however. The question is, can this guy stand with the guys he emulates? In Fankhauser’s case, most certainly. You’d have to know his bio to have any idea Fankhauser wasn’t born on U.S. soil: There’s no trace of an accent in his smooth singing voice, which recalls the soulfulness of Tommy Castro or Curtis Salgado.
Fankhauser has been releasing albums since the 1980s , so his sound is fully developed. On Talk To Me, his debut for Memphis International, he offers a slate of originals and several covers, including a version of “Members Only” that Dennis Walker produced some years back. Walker produced a few other tracks as well, while most of the rest were produced by Bobby Kyle. The exception is a live version of Solomon Burke’s “Down In The Valley” that closes the disc. Despite the piecemeal approach and contributions by nearly two dozen musicians (including a horn section), Talk To Me still manages to have a unified feel, thanks to Fankhauser’s consistent approach.
Fankhauser, who studied under guitarist Johnny Copeland, learned much from his teachers. He pays Copeland respect on covers of “Cut Off My Right Arm” and “Flying High (Yesterday).” Among his own songs, he displays a B.B. King influence on “Who’s Gonna Sing The Blues For You?”. The answer: maybe a German-speaking Swiss guy. Talk To Me presents the polished work of a seasoned entertainer.
Michael Cote
Blues News
“Brillant as vocalist, above-average as guitar player, and excellent as song writer!”
Switzerland has brought out, by many almost unnoticed, yet another musician that represents international class when it comes to roots music. Fankhauser has already nine albums under his belt, some with the Checkerboard Blues Band, and also his newest effort reveals how groovy, fat and funky really good Memphis blues should sound.
Johnny Copeland recognized an excellent singer in Fankhauser, and invited him to the United States to tour with him before his untimely death. Thus the two Copeland tunes “Cut Off My Right Arm” and “Flyin’ High” become a veritable tribute to the Texas Twister. The slight, yet audible, Texas touch lends Fankhauser’s blues additional grit.
Although brillant as vocalist, above-average as guitar player, and excellent as song writer, it’s the voluminous horn arrangement that gives “Talk To Me” it’s finals shape. The brass section are Jim Spake, Andrew Love, Wayne Jackson and Scott Thompson, that, among others, can be heard with Al Green, the Rolling Stones, Ike Turner, Otis Rush and many Stax-Stars – shortly: everybody of distinction in the rhythm & blues field. That is audible – and inarguably good. This elite in the back makes Fankhauser become Funkhouser. Classy album!
Uwe Meier
Blues in Britain
“Someone should get this outfit over here!”
Back in the early nineties, Philipp Fankhauser was singer/guitarist/leader of the very accomplished Swiss outfit the Checkerboard Blues Band. Then he went to America from 1994 to 2000, spending a lot of time with the late Johnny Copeland and recording under the auspices of the renowned Dennis Walker. Now he is back in Thun, Switzerland leading the Philipp Fankhauser Blues Band on the aptly titled CD Live – So Damn’ Cool (FunkHouseBlues FHB 92105). An assured, unpretentious straight blues set, Philipp has the support of drummer Tosho Yakkatokuo and no less than bassist Richard Cousins, Bob Cray’s former right hand man. The mostly borrowed material (but the kind of songs that do not get covered very often) makes a good showcase for Philipp’s cool vocals and controlled semi-acoustic playing, and the rhythm section is obviously spot-on. A classy release indeed, and now that Britain is finally opening up to the Continental blues scene, someone should try getting this outfit overe here. Rating: 8
Norman Darwen
